Body Mass Index

Body mass index is a way to compare height to weight. A healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9. Underweight is below 18.5, overweight is 25 to 29 and obese is 30 or greater. A healthy weight for a woman who is 5 feet, 5 inches tall is from 114 to 150 pounds. There are many BMI calculators online.

Met Life Tables

The Metropolitan Life Insurance company introduced tables in the 1940s showing ideal weight ranges that lead to the lowest mortality rates for women. There are ranges for those with small, medium and large frames at each height. A 5-foot-5 woman with a medium frame should weigh 127 to 141 pounds.

Body Fat

Some body fat is required to maintain vital functions. For young women, it also is essential to maintain fertility. Women need 10 to 12 percent of their bodies to be fat in order to maintain essential functions.

Distortion

A young woman's view of "normal" weight might be distorted by models and other images in the media. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the average American woman over the age of 20 is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 164.7 pounds. Most models are at least 5 feet 8 inches tall and weigh less than 125 pounds.

Losing or Gaining Weight

Talk to your doctor before deciding to lose or gain weight.

Source:

BMI Tables

Information on Body Fat

Met Life Tables